Should Sun City Westerners prepare for a natural or national disaster? I respectfully submit the followiung reasons for preparedness.

Each year Luke Air Force Base has some jet crashes. They fly over the Sun Cities. The last I heard Waddell Dam was in disrepair. Should it collapse, the expansion section in Sun City West is history. Recently passing by on Grand Avenue, parked on the train t5racks we counted 49 tankers of liquid petrolium gas. It takes just one deranged individual and a bar of plastic and much of Sun City West would be gone.

Some 10 years ago Sun City West had a "microburst" in August. Many houses were damaged, the electricity was out and ice was given out to residents. Where would you go in such an emergency?

I called Bob Spencer, then Maricopa County emergency management director, and asked him for the plan for evacuation for Sun City West. He said for us to call Dysart schools and they would send buses to take us to the gyn at Dysart, which, by the way, is not air-conditioned.

It took me three years and with the help of Lou Lenham and the Foundation, we did a survey and found that the Foundation building was segmented and could hold 1,000 or more people. It has cooking facilities, showers and would make a fine emergency shelter. In writing, the Red Cross would take over the shelter in an emergency and bring in supplies.

Of course, on one end of the building we have the Posse, on the other end we have the thrift shop for clothing and across the street we have Lending Hands for beds, etc. The final step was to buy generators to air-condition the building. This was completed.

Another option is to head for our local hospital. They have emergency generators and perhaps can feed people in an emergency.

If you want more information on preparedness, call the fire department and pick up written tips on what to do in an emergency.

For 30 years I was the volunteer director of Disaster and Emergency Services in Westchester County in New York. The appointment was state assigned.

Sun City West